Means for producing colored-light effects.



' G. WHITNEY; MEANS ron PRODUCING COLORED LIGHT EFFECTS.

'APPUCATION FILED SEPT- 28. 1916.

Patented Apr. 24,1917,

A TTUR/VEY G. C. WHITNEY. MEANS FOR PRODUCING COLORED LIGHT EFFECTS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 28, l9l6.

' Patented Apr. 24,191,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- GILBERT C. WHITNEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MEANS FOR PRODUCING COLORED-LIGHT EFFECTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

Application filed September 28, 1916. Serial No. 122,649.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT C. VVHITNEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Producing Colored-Light Effects, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the art ofproducing colored light effects by projecting a beam of colored light originating at one or more of a plurality of primary sources of light separate and distinct from one another, and each of a distinctive color, the projected beam being either of a definite color corresponding with the color of some one of said several primary sources, or aresultant color due to the mixing and blending of colored light emanating from two or more of-said primary sources; and the object of my invention is to provide certain improvements in and relating to apparatus for producing colored light effects such as are above referred to, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The particular embodiment of my inven tion' disclosed in this present application is designed to be used as the visible luminous signal light of a block signal system used upon railways, and to display sig nal lights of three colors such, for exam: ple, as red, yellow, and green; although the apparatus disclosed may be readily adapted to display or produce signal lights of two colors only, or of more than three colors. 'When so used my invention provides a signaling system in which signal lights of anyone of two or more distinct colors, (as determined and controlled by the mechanical, electrical or pneumatic operating means for setting the signal lights of the system) may be made to appear separately and in proper sequence at one and the same point; the color of the lightdisplayed indicating to the engineer or motor-man the traffic conditions in the block orbloeks ahead of him, as will be understood.

A further ad vantage incident to the use of my invention as a part of a railway signal system, and due to the fact that thecolored lenses or disks which determine the color of the primary sources of light are so located and shielded that light emanating from an external source can not shine directly upon them, is that false or phantom signals cannot be produced.

The phenomena of false or phantom s gnals is frequently met with in signal systems wherein two or more colored lenses or disks are so located as to be exposed directly to light emanating from a powerful source such, for example, as the head-light of a passing locomotive, under which conditions the strong external source of light tends to neutralize, and in a sense to blot out the proper signal-light. At the same time the light from the-external source falls upon and is reflected from a lens or disk which should be invisible, because no light is being trans-' mitted through it at the time and under the conditions assumed, thus causingthe appearance of a somewhat dimmed light of the color of the lens or disk from which the enternal light is reflected and, obviously, of a color other than that which should be displayed.

In my invention, however, the effect of an intense beam of light from an external source falling upon the uncolored objective lens employed in my system can at'most "result in a mere dimming of the light passing through said lens; which dimming, however, can under no conditions be accompanied.

by the appearance of a light of a color different from that of the light which should properly appear; for the light from such external source can under no circumstances act upon In exposed but unilluminated colored lens or disk, because the colored lenses or disks are so located that light from an external source cannot reach them, as above explained.

With the above and other objects in view l. ii

which the colored lenses are spaced in order to provide. for the projection of lights of three colors;

3 is a view illustrating a modification of my invention in which an additional source of light is so arranged as to increase the brilliancy of the projected beam of light;

Fig. 4- is a View similar to Fig. 2 but showing the angular disposition of the elements of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a, view illustrating a scheme in which uncolored concentrating lenses are used, and in which the color effects are pr duced by colored slides or disks.

G is a view showing the angular arrangement of lenses for use in projecting lig t of'four colors;

T is a view showing how both the co: ntrating and projecting lenses may be :ill'" '6 il all upon the same side of the light int opting screen, insteadof on opposite sides thereof;-

Fig. 8 is a view showing the elements present in the arrangement shown in Fig. 7, as seen i'LOm a position to the leit of said figure;

Fig. 9 is a view illustrating in a conventional manner the way in which the several elements employedin my invention are sup- 'l in proper relation within a suitable sing, this vie'ivbeing a section taken upon ongitudinal planes indicated by the broken no, il-9, 10;

Fig. 10 is a view showing a section taken upon a. transverse plane indicated by the line 10-l(l, 9;

Fig. 11 is a view illustrating a modification in which the light compartments are arranged one above another, instead of angulariy as in Figs. 9 and 10, this view being taken upon a longitudinal plane indicated by the line 11-i1, Fig. 12;

12 is a view showing a section taken upon a transverse plane indicated by the line li--l2, 11;

Fi 13 is a view illustmting a modified 1 :ment in which two colored lenses are d up one side, and one upon the oiher, oi the li ht intercepting screen, this new being taken upon a longitudinal plane indicated by the line 1313, Fig. 14;

Fig. la is a view showing a section taken upon a transverse plane indicated by the line l i14, Fig. 13;

Figzlo is a View illustrating a sligl'itly diile rentform of casing, and showing the colored lenses arranged all upon one side of the light intercepting screen, the view being taken upon longitudinal planes indicated by the broken line 15-;5, Fig. 16, and;

Fig. 16 is a view showing a section taken upon a transverse plane indicated by the line -is 1e, Fig. 15.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive are in the nature of diagrams cmployed to illustrate the optical principles of my invention, while Figs. 9 to 16 are views showing some of the various ways in which my invention may be put into practice, and rendered available for use in and as a part of a signaling system for use upon railways, as above explained.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the reference 20, 21, and 22 designate red, green, and yellow lenses angularly spaced with reference to the axis AB of the, system, as shown in Fig. 2, and so located and arranged relative to a translucent screen that light emanating from three sources of light such as incandescent electric lights 24, 25, (two only appearing in Fig. 1, although one is associated with each of the three lenses) will be concentrated at one and the same place thereupon; the lights being located, approximately, one at one of the conjugate loci of each lens, while the other foci of the lenses are at a common point adjacent the intercepting screen made of ground glass or other suitable material. This screen is shown as a plane flat piece of glass or simi lar material, although it may be curved or of other form, if desired; and it will in practice be so located as to be somewhat out of focus, so that a spot of light of some little area will be produced thereupon by the lenses, as will be appreciated. Located upon the side of the screen 23 opposite to that of the lenses above referred to is an objective lens 26 made of clear glass, and-uncolored, which lens is so located that light emanating from the screen 23 as a secondary source of light will be concentrated and projectedas a beam made up of parallel or slightly diverging rays, as is desirable in a signaling system.

The several incandescent lamps together with the colored lenses associated with them thus form a plurality of sources of light each of a distinctive color dependent upon the color of thclenses associated with the lights, while thetranslucent screen is illuminated by said primary sources and becomes a secondary source of colored light which is pro jected unchanged through the uncolored objective lens26.

It will be appreciated that it more than one of the primary sources is illuminated at the same time,the color of the light emanating from the screen and passing through the lens 26 will be a resultant color due to a blending of the colors of the primary sources lighted and in operation at the time. In a railway signaling system, however, it is necessary to display signal lights of distinctive and widely variant colors, to which end my invention includes means, shown conventionally as the switches 27, for controlling the primary sources of light so that one only numerals mechanism, the same, generally .lcns 26; and likewise a green, or a yellow u a beam, when the light lb, or the light (not shown, but associated with the yellow lens is lighted.

When my invention is used in connects with and as a part of a bloclr signal system upon a railway the switches 21, (or ct r vice u-"hereby the lamps controil that light of one color only will be pm ooted at a given time to form a visible signal iioht) will be operated and controlled by sin able electrical, mechanical, pneumatic or other speaking, as the signal lights are controlled in bloclr signal systems at present in use. This present invention, however, has to do only with the means for producing properly colored visible signals using ultimate sources of light; and the means for controlling the lamps employed so to produce changes in color of the light emitted, as is required in block signal terns, forms no part of the invention to which this application relates.

and t illustrate the elements and features of arrangement and operation pi ent in Figs. 1 and 2, and, in addition, shor; how the brilliancy of the illumination upon the screen 23 may be enhanced by means oi a source of light independent of the primary sources which determine the color of the signal lights displayed.

In the scheme illustrated in these figures the reference numeral 28 designates a source or light independent of the primary sources 24, 25, while 29 designates a lens'or equivalent device adapted to concentrate the rays emanating tlieretrom upon the intercepting translucent screen 23, at the same place that the light from the several sources of colored light is concentrated thereupon by the c ored is see, whereby the brilliancy'of the light emanating from the screen will be enhanced and said screen will thus become a more intensely illuminated secondary source of light and brighter signal lights will be projected by the lens 26.

The purpose of the auxiliary source of light 28 is to produce signals which will be the better seen and recognized by the engineer. This light may be lighted and in operation all the time, in which case its rays are added. to whichever color of light is being projected by the lens 26; or it may be used to reinforce those colors of light which are dillicult to see and recognize, and omitted when an easily seen. and recognized color is being displayed, Finally, the character of seems a lamps of any kind or type as this auxiliary light will depend upon the end to be attained; for example, if brilliancy of illumination is the end in View, the light would be as near as practical colorless, or so called white light; while if the reinforcement of some particular color or colors is desired the arrangement will be such that the rays projected onto the screen will be such as to have an additive effect when light of the color or colors to be reinforced is bein iected from the screen.

5 and 6 illustrate any arrangement four primary sources of light are l c and in which the color efiects are "minced colored slides or disks. in this in and arrangement the projecting lenses 30, Ill, and 33, are or may be made of uncolored glass, each having a lamp associated with it although two only of such lamps are shown at 3%, 35. In this or angement the color effects are produced by stationary colored slides or disks 3G, 37, arranged adjacent and either upon one or both sides of the lenses; which is a means for producing colored light which may obviously be used in any of the embodiments of my invention herein disclosed.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate an arrangement o" dis 'ilayiug lights of three colors as in l to l, but in wh'ch the projecting 38, 40 and the objective lens all are located all upon the same side of the intercepting screen'42, unicli screen may in this case be advantageously provided with reflecting surface or back 4", as no light passes through the screen in this arrangement. Licht from the. lamps ll, 45, and

'Troin another not shonn, is concentrated upon the screen, reflected therefrom, and projected through and by the lens 41, as will be understood; the same ultimate effect be ing' attained as in the forms of my invention ieretofore explained,

These figures also illustrate how some of the color cl iectsniay be produced by means of colored lense's, and others by the use of colored disks or slides 46 used in connection with uncoiored lenses; and illustrate also the use of reliectors 47 back of the lamps, which reflectors may obviously be used in any of the various forms hereinbefore described. liinally, while I have referred to incandescent electric lamps as the ultimate sources of light, it will be understood that any kind of lamps or illuminatingelement or device may be employed as the light giving element of the several primary sources of coloredlight.

It will be appreciated. that in order to adapt my invention, the principles of which have'been explained by means of-the (liagrams apg iearing in Figs. '1 to 8, for use in a railway signaling system, the various elements mustbe so arranged that the light from each of the primary sources cannot interfere with light from another, and so arranged that light from an external source cannot interfere with the light emanating from th primary sources of colored light, to which end the various elements are located and held in proper position relative to one another Within a suitable casing having separate compartments for the various lamps; various conventional forms of which casings are illustrated in Figs. 9 to 16 of the drawings.

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate a form of casing having sides 48 and the rear portion of which is separated from the front portion by a partition 49 which serves as a support for the three colored lenses 50; the said rear portion being in turn provided with three partitions 51 extending longitudinally of the casing and dividing said rear portion into three angularly disposed chambers 52, 53, 5l within which are located the incandescent electric lamps 55, 56, 57, one back of each of the colored lenses, as will be appreciated.

Therear end of the casing is closed by means of a wall 58, and suitable doors will be provided for gaining access to the interior thereof; and the front of the casing is provided with a support'59 for the un- 'c0lored objective lens 60 of my device;

which is here shown as of the stepped form in common use in railway signal lights, it being appreciated that any of the various andwell known forms of lenses in common use may be used wherever a lens is used in my system.

Located between the partition 49 and the objective lens 60 is a diaphragm 61 which serves as a support for the translucent light intercepting screen 62 and, from the above explanation of the' diagram shown in Fig. 1, it will be appreciated that when one of the. lamps 55, 56, 57,is lighted, light corresponding with the color of the lens in front of the light in question will be concentrated upon the screen 62; from which screen as a secondary source light of the color of the lens in front of the lamp which is lighted will pass through and be projected by the objective lens 60.

Figs. 11 and 12 show a form of casing in which the lamps are located in chambers or compartments 63, 64, 65, arranged one above the other and separated by partitions 66, 67, extending longitudinally of the casing; light .from the lamps 68 passing through the colored lenses 69 and onto the screen 70,, and therefrom through the objective lens 71 in a way which will obvious from the foregoing description of Figs. 9 and 10. i

Figs. 13 and 14 illustrate an arrangement in which two lamps 72, 73, which, in connection with colored lenses 74, 75, serve as primary sources of two colors of light are placed in compartments 76, 77 at one end of the casing 78; while a third lamp 79 in connection with a third colored lens 80 is arranged at the other end of the casing; whereby the translucent screen 81 is illuminated from sources of colored light located some upon one and some upon the other side thereof. The screen thus becomes a secondary source in the same sense as in the forms hereinbefore explained, and light therefrom passes through the objective lens 82, as will be appreciated.

Figs. 15 and 16 illustrate an arrangement in which the colored concentrating lenses, as well as the uncoloredobjective lens, are all located upon the same side of the screen, as in the diagram shown in Figs. 7 and 8, so that the screen may also act as a reflector, as explained, In this form the lamps 83 are located in angularly disposed compartments 84, and their light is concentrated upon the screen 85; from which it is reflected and passes through the objective lens 86, as will be understood.

It will be appreciated that the colored projecting lenses will be of such focal 1. In a device of the class described, a

plurality of sources of light differing in color from one another; means for controlling sai'd sources so that light may emanate from one only of them at a time; a light.in tercepting member so located as to be illuminated by any one of said sources andto thereby become and serve as a secondary source of light the color of which will de pend upon which one of said sources is in operation; and an uncoloredv lens spaced apart from said light intercepting member and through which light is projected from said member as a secondary source of light.

2. In a device of the class described, a plurality of primary sources of light; a plurality of members differing in color from one another and one of which members is as- ;sociated with each of said sources; a screen so located as to be illuminated by light emanating from said primary sources and pass through the colored members associated therewith, whereby said screen becomes a secondary source of light; and an uncolored lens spaced apart from said screen and through which light is projected from said screen as a secondary source of light.

3. In a device of the class described, a plurality of primary sources of light; a pluralityof members differing in color from one another and one of which members is associated with each of said sources; means for controlling said primary sources so that light may emanate from one only of them at a time; a screen so located as to be illuminated by light emanating from any one of said primary sources and passing-through t e whereby said screen becomes a secondary source of light the color of which will depend upon which one of said primary sources is in operation; and an uncolored lens spaced apart from said screen a distance corresponding with its focal length and through which" lens light is projected 1frollln said screen as a secondary source of i. In a device of the class described, a plurality of primary sources of light; a screen adapted to form a secondary source of light; a plurality of lenses, one associated with each of said sources, said lenses differing in color from one another and their arrangement being such that light emanating from said several primary sources will pass through said lenses and be concentrated upon said screen; means for controlling said primary sources so that light may emanate from one only of them at a time; and an uncolored lens spaced apart from said screen a distance corresponding with its focal length, and through which lens light is projected from said screen as a secondary source of light.

5. In a device of the class described, a screen adapted to form a secondary source of light; a plurality of primary sources of light located all upon one side of said screen; a plurality of lenses, one associated with each of said sources, said lenses difi'ering in color from one another and a lens being located betwceneach primary source of light and said screen so that light emanating from said several primary sources will pass through said lenses and be concentrated upon said screen; means for controlling said primary sources so that light may emanate from one only of them at a time; and an uncolored lens located upon the side of said screen opposite to that occupied by said primarysources of light, said lens being spaced apart lfrom said screen a distance corresponding with its focal length and through which lens light is projected from said screen as a secondary source of light.

6. In a device of the class described, a plurality of sources oflight differing in color from one another; means for controlcolored member associated therewith,

ling said sources so that light may emanate from one only of them at a time; a light intercepting member so located that light emanating from any one of said sources will be focused thereupon, whereby said member becomes a secondary source of light the color of which will depend upon which one of- ."ondary source of light; and an uncolored lens the focus of which is at said screen, and through which lens light emanating from said screen as a secondary source of light is projected.

8. In a device of the class described, a' plurality of primary sources of light; a plurality of members differing in color from one another and associated with said sources; a'scrcen so located as to be illuminated by light emanating from said primary sources and passing through said colored members, whereby said screen becomes a secondary source of light; a source of light independent of said primary sources and so arranged as to illuminate said screen; and an uncolored lens spaced apart from said screen and through which light is projected from said screen as a secondary source of light.

9. In a device of the class described, a plurality of primary sources of light; a screen adapted to form a secondary source of light; a plurality of lenses, one associated with each of said sources, said lenses diliering in color from one another and their arrangement being such that light emanating from said several primary sources will pass through said lenses and be concentrated upon s rid, screen; means for controlling said primary sources so tha light may emanate from one only of them at a time; a source of light independent of said primary sources and so arranged as to illuminate said screen; and an uncolored lens spaced apart from said screen a distance corresponding with its focal length and through which lens lightis projected from said screen as a secondary source of light.

10. In a device of the class described, a suitable casing; means for dividing theinterior of said casing so as to provides plurality of separate lamp compartments; col" ored members associated with -said lamp compartments whereby the color of the light emanating therefrom is determined; a

I light intercepting screen so arral'iged that light emanating from said compartments will be focused thereupon; and an uncolored lens supported by said casing and spaced apart from said screen and through which light from said screen as a secondary source passes from said casing.

11. In-a device of the class described a suitable casing; means for dividing the interior of said casing so as to provide a plurality of lamp compartments; means associated with each of said lamp compartments for determining the color of light emanating therefrom; means for controlling said lamps so that one only of them may be in operation at a time; a light intercepting screen upon which light emanating from said lamp compartments is concentrated; and an uncolored lens supported by said casing and spaced apart from said screen a distance corresponding with its focal length, and through which lens light is projected from said screen as a secondary source of light.

12. In a device of the class described, a suitable casing;a light intercepting screen located Within said casing; means for dividing the interior of said casing so as to provide a plurality of: separate lamp compartments; means for controlling said'lamps sothat one only of them may be in operation at a time; a. plurality of colored lenses,

one associated with each of said lamp com- 1 partments, and which lenses are adapted toconcentrate the llght emanatmg from said lamps upon said screen; and an uncolored lens supported by said casing and spaced apart from said screen a distance corresponding with its focal length, and through which lens light is projected from said screen as a secondary source of light.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification this th day of September, 1916.

GILBERT C. WHITNEY. 

